SXSW 2011. Features Lineup

"It's Here!" tweets SXSW. "It" being, of course, the features lineup for this year's South by Southwest Film Festival, running March 11 through 19. Michael Cieply's already scanned the titles for the New York Times and has decided that the keyword here is "minimalist." IndieWIRE's Anne Thompson has spoken with festival director Janet Pierson, noting that she "goes out of her way to distinguish SXSW as a different kind of discovery fest from Sundance… Pierson doesn't consider SXSW, whose submissions were up 23% this year, to function as a market at all (although some sales are made there). 'We live in a more raw, DIY, emerging place,' she says, pointing out that SXSW alums Joe Swanberg and Mike Tully showed their films at Sundance this year. 'We're a creative collaborative petri dish of new emerging voices, risk-taking films where people are learning and trying new things. If we have a personality, we skew toward a naturalistic style, simplicity in films that work on their own terms in the world they have created.'"

Alright, then, let's have a look. Links and notes are forthcoming; the first round of descriptions comes from the festival itself. The image above, by the way: Greta Gerwig and Olly Alexander in Alison Bagnall's The Dish & the Spoon.

Natural SelectionDirector & Writer: Robbie PickeringWhen a dutiful, albeit barren, housewife discovers that her ailing husband has an illegitimate son, she sets out to find the young man and reunite him with her husband before he dies. Cast: Rachael Harris, Matt O'Leary, Jon Gries, John Diehl (World Premiere)

A MouthfulDirector: Sally RoweConsidered a rising star of haute cuisine, Paul Liebrandt found his career stalled in New York's austere environment post 9/11. Paul struggles over the next decade as he tries to make his way back to the top. (World Premiere)

Better This WorldDirectors: Katie Galloway & Kelly Duane de la VegaTwo childhood friends from Midland, Texas cross a line that changes their lives forever. The result: eight homemade bombs, multiple domestic terrorism charges and a high stakes entrapment defense hinging on a controversial FBI informant. (World Premiere)The City DarkDirector: Ian CheneyThe film chronicles the disappearance of darkness, following astronomers, cancer researchers, ecologists and philosophers in a quest to understand what is lost in the glare of city lights. (World Premiere). More from Cargo Releasing.

DragonslayerDirector: Tristan PattersonKiller Films presents the transmissions of a lost kid, falling in love, in the suburbs of Fullerton, California. Featuring skateboarding, the usual drugs, and stray glimpses of unusual beauty. (World Premiere)

FightvilleDirectors: Michael Tucker & Petra EpperleinA documentary about the art and sport of fighting: a microcosm of life, a physical manifestation of that other brutal contest called the American Dream. (World Premiere)

Kumaré (USA/India)Director: Vikram GandhiA documentary about a man who impersonates a wise Indian Guru and builds a following in Arizona. (World Premiere)

Last Days HereDirectors: Don Argott & Demian FentonThe film follows middle-aged rocker Bobby Liebling, lead singer of the cult hard rock/heavy metal band Pentagram, as he leaves his parents' basement in search of the life he never lived. (World Premiere)

Where Soldiers Come FromDirector: Heather CourtneyFrom a snowy small town in Northern Michigan to the mountains of Afghanistan and back, the film follows the four-year journey of childhood friends and their town, forever changed by a faraway war. (World Premiere)

Ain't It Cool News 15th Anniversary ScreeningHarry Knowles will curate a surprise screening in honor of the 15th Anniversary of his popular cult website Ain't it Cool News.

The BeaverDirector: Jodie Foster, Writer: Kyle KillenTwo-time Academy Award® winner Jodie Foster directs and co-stars with two-time Academy Award® winner Mel Gibson in an emotional story about a man on a journey to re-discover his family and re-start his life. Plagued by his own demons, Walter Black was once a successful toy executive and family man who now suffers from depression. No matter what he tries, Walter can't seem to get himself back on track… until a beaver hand puppet enters his life. Cast: Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence, Cherry Jones (World Premiere)

Conan O'Brien Can't StopDirector: Rodman FlenderDid Conan O'Brien go on tour to connect with his fans or fill a void within himself? Rodman Flender's documentary captures an artist trained in improvisation at the most improvisational time of his career. (World Premiere)

Source CodeDirector: Duncan Jones, Writer: Ben RipleyWhen soldier Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes up in the body of an unknown man, he discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. In an assignment unlike any he's ever known, he learns he's part of a government experiment called the "Source Code," a computer program that enables him to cross over into another man's identity in the last 8 minutes of his life. Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright (World Premiere)

Becoming SantaDirector: Jeff MyersIn an effort to rekindle his Christmas spirit, Jack decides to spend this season as Santa Claus, but the role of Kris Kringle is more complex than he thinks. (World Premiere)

Bob and The MonsterDirector: Keirda BahruthA highly compelling portrait of outspoken indie-rock hero Bob Forrest, through his life-threatening struggle with addiction, to his transformation into one of the most influential and controversial drug counselors in the US today. (World Premiere)

DetentionDirector: Joseph Kahn, Writers: Joseph Kahn & Mark PalermoA downtrodden 17-year-old girl is sent to detention where she must survive a slasher film killer and save the world in time for prom. Cast: Josh Hutcherson, Dane Cook, Shanley Caswell, Spencer Locke, Aaron David Johnson (World Premiere)

ElevateDirector: Anne BufordFrom a basketball academy in Senegal, to the high-pressure world of American prep schools, the film documents the extraordinary personal journeys of four particularly tall West African Muslim teenage boys with NBA dreams. (World Premiere)

Fambul TokDirector: Sara TerryVictims and perpetrators of Sierra Leone's brutal war come together for the first time in an unprecedented reconciliation program of grassroots truth-telling and forgiveness ceremonies. (World Premiere)

The InnkeepersDirector & Writer: Ti WestHotel clerks by day, amateur ghost hunters by night, the last two employees of the historic Yankee Pedlar Inn set out to prove that their place of business is as haunted as its reputation. Cast: Sara Paxton, Pat Healy, Kelly McGillis (World Premiere)

It's About YouDirector: Kurt MarkusFirst-time filmmakers, photographer Kurt Markus and son, Ian, document John Mellencamp's 2009 summer tour and recording of his latest album. This film celebrates the visual beauty and power of Super8 film and the human voice. (World Premiere)

LBF (Australia)Director & Writer: Alex MuntA pop-art film based on the novel Living Between Fucks by Cry Bloxsome. It follows Goodchild, a young writer back home for his ex-girlfriend's funeral, The Dead Girl. Love, Loss & Desperation. Cast: Toby Schmitz, Bianca Chiminello, Gracie Otto, Septimus Caton, April Rose Pengilly (World Premiere)

The Other F WordDirector: Andrea Blaugrund NevinsWhen the most anti-authoritarian among us become the ultimate authorities… we might just have to use The Other F Word. (World Premiere)

PRESSPAUSEPLAY (Sweden)Directors: Victor Köhler & David DworskyThe first real testimony of the digi-creative revolution. It's an 80 minute global journey capturing how digital technology and mindset has transformed the concept of art and culture. (North American Premiere)

Convento (Portugal)Director: Jarred AltermanArtist Christiaan Zwanikken resurrects deceased wildlife by reanimating the skeletal remains with servomotors and robotics. He breeds these new species in a 400-year-old monastery in Portugal, restored from ruins and converted into his laboratory. (North American Premiere)

No Matter WhatDirector & Writer: Cherie SaulterThe story of Nick and Joey, two best friends living in the crumbling landscape of rural Florida, whose lives and friendship are changed by the journey to find Joey's mother. Cast: Matt Webb, Waylan Gross, Amy Seimetz (World Premiere)

Weekend (England)Director & Writer: Andrew HaighA one-night stand that becomes something else, something important — a (sort of) love story between two guys trying to take control of their lives. Cast: Tom Cullen, Chris New (World Premiere)

Incendiary: The Willingham CaseDirector: Steve MimsCameron Todd Willingham: A martyr for anti-death penalty activists, a ‘monster' for right-wing politicians and a flash point for an astonishing twenty-first century fight between science and folklore. (World Premiere)

My Sucky Teen RomanceDirector & Writer: Emily HaginsIn a culture that is currently overrun with romanticized vampires, it is up to four geeky teenagers to defend their friend and beloved sci-fi convention from a group of very real, blood-thirsty vampires. Cast: Elaine Hurt, Patrick Delgado, Santiago Dietche, Lauren Lee, Tony Vespe (World Premiere)

Benda Bilili!(France)Directors: Renaud Barret & Florent de La TullayeRicky dreams of making Staff Benda Bilili the best band in Congo Kinshasa. Roger wants to join these stars of the ghetto. Together, they must avoid the pitfalls of the street and believe in music. (US Premiere). Reviews from Cannes.

Foo FightersDirector: James MollThe definitive documentary of the last great American rock n' roll band: chronicling Foo Fighters' 16 year history from their first club gigs to the recording of their new album in Dave Grohl‘s garage. (World Premiere)

Le Tigre: On TourDirector: Kerthy FixA concert film that follows a feminist electronic band across 4 continents and 10 countries and provides an unusual peek behind the curtain of the contemporary pop machine. (World Premiere)

Live at Preservation Hall: Louisiana FairytaleDirector: Danny ClinchThe film documents the collaboration between New Orleans's legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band and American rock band My Morning Jacket, demonstrating the power of Preservation Hall to inspire a whole new generation of musicians. (World Premiere)

Nyman In Progress (Germany/England)Director: Silvia BeckA documentary about composer and artist Michael Nyman, who at 65, surprises the world with a new insight into his creativity. (US Premiere)

Outside Industry: The Story of SXSWDirector: Alan BergFour guys living on next to nothing created a music event in the hopes of giving bands a way of connecting with music insiders. The result was the biggest music industry event in the world. (World Premiere)

Sound It Out (England)Director: Jeanie FinlayA documentary portrait of the very last record shop in Teesside. A distinctive, funny and intimate film about men, the North of England and the irreplaceable role of music in our lives. (World Premiere)

Taken By Storm: The Art of Storm Thorgerson and HipgnosisDirector: Roddy BogawaReal? Surreal? Iconic? Impossible? The album art of Storm Thorgerson is so far deeply embedded into our psyche, it's hard to believe it all came from one mind. (World Premiere)

Upside Down: The Creation Records Story (England)Director: Danny O'ConnorThe definitive and fully authorized documentary of the highs and lows of the UK's most inspired and dissolute independent record label — Creation Records. (North American Premiere)

SX GLOBAL

Andante (Israel)Director & Writer: Assaf TagerIn a post-industrial world people are no longer able to dream. Sarah, the single surviving dreamer, sets out to the only place that can provide answers to her strange night visions: the dream factory. Cast: Sarah Adler, David Fire, Liron Levo, Nicole Veronica (North American Premiere)

Armadillo (Denmark)Director: Janus MetzFollowing a group of Danish solders on a 2009 tour of Afghanistan, Janus Metz's acclaimed documentary is a gripping, visually stunning probe into the psychology of young men in the midst of a senseless war.

Beats of Freedom (Poland)Directors: Leszek Gnoinski & Wojciech SlotaA captivating film about the birth of rock music in Poland.

El Bulli - Cooking in Progress (Germany)Director: Gereon WetzelThe starred chef Ferran Adrià is known as the best, most innovative and craziest cook in the world. Every year, the restaurant closes for six months and Adrià and his creative team retire to their cooking laboratory in Barcelona, to create a new menu for the following season. Everything is allowed — except copying themselves.

Heaven Hell (Czech Republic)Director: David CalekA documentary film dealing with human diversity that doesn't necessarily lead to hell even though it might seem like that from the outsider's point of view. (US Premiere)

IDFA DocLab presents: New Documentary Narratives (Finland)For the third year in a row, SXSW has invited IDFA DocLab to organize a panel and a special live cinema screening. IDFA DocLab is the new media program of the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. Since 2008, IDFA DocLab showcases the many new and unexpected forms of documentary storytelling made possible by digital technology. In Europe, the program has become a platform for transmedia and multiplatform projects, ranging from interactive webdocs to documentary media art.

My Life With Carlos (Chile/Germany/Spain)Director: German Berger-HertzThe film chronicles the journey of a son (director German Berger-Hertz) trying to learn the truth about his father, who was killed in 1973 in Pinochet's Chile.

Reindeer Spotting (Finland)Director: Joonas NeuvonenWithout moralizing the film shows the real life of a group of friends in the Arctic Circle, dabbling in petty crime and hard drugs. Disturbing, brutal and beautifully honest. Trainspotting in Santa Land. (North American Premiere)

Self Made (England)Director: Gillian WearingA diverse group of British people respond to an ad from artist Gillian Wearing. Taking part in an experiment with Method acting, they find themselves for the first time confronting their innermost personal truths.

Way of the Morris (England)Directors: Tim Plester & Rob CurryFilmmaker Tim Plester journeys from the English village green to the killing fields of The Somme, in search of a connection with the much-maligned native dance traditions that run deep in his blood. (World Premiere)

The First Movie (Canada/England)Director: Mark CousinsWhat's it like to be a child in war — not when the conflict is raging, but when the war tide is out, as it were, when kids are telling stories or playing games?

How to Die in OregonDirector: Peter D RichardsonThe film tells the complex stories of terminally ill Oregonians, their families, doctors and friends, as they decide whether to end their life by lethal overdose under Oregon's Death with Dignity Act. I gathered reviews when the doc won the Grand Jury Prize: US Documentary Competition at Sundance just a few days ago.

TabloidDirector: Errol MorrisErrol Morris further redefines and pushes the boundaries of documentary film with the tale of Joyce McKinney and the infamous "Case of the Manacled Mormon." Reviews from Telluride and Toronto.

The National Parks Project (Canada)A stunning collection of short films that represents the breadth of Canada's artistic talent and diversity of the country's landscape, as it's never been seen before. Cast: Sarah Harmer, Cadence Weapon, Bry Webb, Melissa Auf der Maur, Sam Roberts (US Premiere)

Red Riding Hood - Special ScreeningDirector: Catherine Hardwicke, Writer: David Leslie JohnsonCatherine Hardwicke will be present for Q&A following this special screening of her latest film, on Thursday, March 10 at midnight. In the film, a werewolf terrorizes a small village, especially when the people discover that, by day, the beast could be anyone. And one young woman discovers that she has a unique connection to the wolf that makes her both suspect… and bait. Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons

The Rime of the Modern Mariner (England)Director & Writer: Mark DonneA documentary set to a spellbinding live musical score — which examines the nature of relationship between a nation state and the seas in a globalized world. Cast: Mark Donne, Carl Barat (The Libertines), Anthony Rossomando (The Klaxons) (US Premiere)

Notebook
is a daily, international film publication. Our mission is to guide film lovers searching, lost or adrift in an overwhelming sea of content. We offer text, images, sounds and video as critical maps, passways and illuminations to the worlds of contemporary and classic film. Notebook is a MUBI publication.